Pipe-coupling



R. A. THOM.

PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.27, 1919.

I 9 3 SHEETS T 1.

R. A. THOM.

PIPE COUPLING. v APPLICATION man Auchznwam. 1,388,491 Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT AQBSAlLOM TECH, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIG-NOR TO THE SUPER- EIEATER CORPORATION LIMITED, LONDON, ENGLAND.

PIPE-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it lrnown that I, Roennr ABSALOM' 'lnorr, a subject of the King of Great Britsin and Ireland, residing at Manchester, England, (whose post-office address is 11 Levon Terrace, F airfield, Manchester, 111 the county of Lancaster, England,) have 1nvented certain new and useful Improvemerits in Pipe-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invent1on, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to whlch it appertains to make and use the same.

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This invention has for its object improvements in or relating to steam superheatlng and other pipes, particularly to the return ends or connectors of such pipes.

The invention consists principally of an improved return end or connector for super heater and other pipes subjected to very high temperatures, and to a method of makmg such a return end.

it return end according to this invention is made from a solid piece of mild steel or like suitable metal which, after being suitably heated, is operated upon by suitable dies so as to form inthe said solid piece two holes, preferably taper holes, terminating at a suitable depth in the said piece; after this operation has been performed the piece 1s reheated and operated upon by suitable dies so as to displace the metal between the aforesaid holes thus producing a hollow forging with the metal at the closed end, to be situ-' ated nearest the source of heat, thickened or left thicker to a suitable extent than that of the remaining portion of the forging, the said hollow forging being so formed that two diametrically opposite webs, fins or pro jections are left within the forging and separated from each'other by a suitable space.

The hollow forging with internal webs or projections is now operated upon by a suitable milling cutter or other suitable tool so as to cut away the inner portions of the above mentioned webs or projections from the inner or closed end of the forging to a suitable distance toward the oppos1te or open end thus reducing the depth or length of the 'webs to, for instance, half their original length,'and thus providing the through passage for steam to flow from one pipe through the end to the other pipe; after t operation the hollow forging is SHbJG CtGd to a further forging or pressing operatlon, by

is cutting means of suitable dies, whereby the side walls of the forging, on which the aforesaid webs-are formed, are pressed toward each other until the opposite faces or edges of the webs meet, the forging by this operation being flattened, and two holes are thus formed in the forging (suitable mandrels or cylindrical bars having been inserted in the forging) and separated attheir outer ends by the abutting web parts, these holes being circular or approximately circular and preferably of a slightly smaller size than the ends of the two superheater pipes to be united by the return bend. The joint where the faces or edges of the aforesaid webs meet is then welded by the oxy-acetylene or other suitable welding process, and the aforesaid holes are further operated upon by a suitable tool, for instance a drill or reamer, so as to make them truly circular or adapted to nicely receive the ends of the twopipes to be united when the forging has been heated for shrinking purposes. The ends of the pipes having been inserted in the holes in the aforesaid forging (which has of course been suitably heated) the latter is then shrunk upon the pipe ends and preferably also welded thereto. The pipe ends maybe secured in or to the return end in any other suitablemanner, for instance instead of the pipe ends entering the holes in the return ends these holes mlght be of equal diameter to the internal diameter of the pipes to be joined to the return end which might be butt-welded to the ends of the pipes. Preferably however the pipes would enter the holes in the open end ofthe return end as above described. I "The return end in its several stages of manufacture, and suitable dies for producing the return end, according to this inven tion are illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which: a

Figure 1 is a central vertical section through the roughing dies.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the bottom roughing die.

3 is an inverted plan of the top roughing die.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section of the dies shown in the preceding figures, taken on the line 4-4, Figs. 2 and 3.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are respectively sectional elevation, plan and vertical cross section of the rough drop stamplng or forglng as produced by the dies shown "in Figs. I 1 to 4 inclusive, but drawn to a larger scale than are the dies in such figures.

Fi .8 is a central vertical section throu h the ms for the next or finishing ste in t e drop stamping part of the process 0 manufacturing according to this invention.

Fi 9 is a plan of the bottom die shown in F g. 8. Y

(Fig. 10 is an inverted planof the top die sh wn in Fig. 8.

"Fig. 11 isa vertical cross section of the dies shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the section being taken on the line '11-11, Figs. 9 and 10. I

Fi' 12, 13 and 14 are respectively seetiona elevation, plan and vertlcal cross section of the drop stamping or forging as it appears after being operated on by the dies s own in Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive, but drawn to a larger scale than are the dies shown in such figures. 7

Figs. 15, 16 and 17 are respectively sectional elevation, plan and vertical cross section of the stampingor forging shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14, after a machining or cutting operation has been performed as will be hereinafter described.

' Figs. 18 and 19,are respectively sectional elevation and cross section of the dies em- ",ployed for closing the stampin or forging to its final shape, the forging eing shown i ction in place in the dies. 1 k

Fi 20 is a lan of the, bottom die Fig. 18, this'figure a so showing the stamping, in section, in place in the die, and f Figs. 21, 22 and 23 are respectively sectional plan, sectional elevation and cross section 0 a finished return end for asuperheater pipe, ac'cording'to this invention, secured to the lengths of superheater pipe.

Like reference numerals will be used to indicate like, a rts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to. the draw' Figs. 1 to 4 arethe' top and ttom roughmg dies, respectively, the bottom die 2- being preferably formed in halves and mounted in a die block or holder as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The bottom die 2 has a suitable recess 3 to receive the block or billet to be operated on, and the top die is rovided with two conical or tapering proections 4, 4 adapted to be forced into the said block or billet. The block or billet of mild steel or like suitable metal, having been first heated tov the .desired temperature in a suitable forge or furnace, is placed in position in the recess 3 in the bottom die 2 and the upper die forced downwardly into said block or billet. The stamping or for 'ng formed b this operation, shown in igs.

1 5, 6 and thus has two tapering holes or recesses 5,5 separated by a web 6, and a relatively substantial solidbottom 7.

. cally opposite inwardly projectin 1 and 2 Referring now to Figs. 8 to 11, 8 and 9 are respectively top and bottom dies, the bottom die 9 having a recess 10 of the desired shape and the top die 8 being provided with a suitably shaped pro'ection the form of which is clearly seen in igs. 8, 9 and 11. This projection comprises two parts 11, 11 substantially elliptical in cross section joined by a relatively narrow web or connecting part-12, the parts 11 decreasing or ta ring for a portion of .their length towar their lower end. The stam i shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, produced y t e dies shown In Figs. 1 to 4, is placed in position in the recess 10 of die 9 and the top die forced downwardly so that pro'ection 11-12-11 enters said stam ing. he stamping roduced by these ies is illustrated by igs. 12, 13 and 14, in which it will be seen that the connecting web or part 6, Figs. 5 and 6 has been divlded forming two diametriwebs or fins 13, 13 and that the metal at t e bottom or solid end 7 of the stampin has been displaced or reshaped the general shape of the stamping having been also altered as will seen. I

The hollow foir 'ng or stamping shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14, is next operated on by a suitable milling cutter or other suitable tool so as to -cut away the webs or fins 13 for the desired distance from the end 7 of the stamping or forging toward the u per or open end of same, for instance for a ut half the length of such webs, leaving only relatively short web or fin portions marked 14 in Figs. 15', 16 and 17, the forging now appearing as shown in said figures, this cutting away providing, in the completed return end, the passage or throughway for the steam.

The forging is now subjected to a further forging or stamping operation in the dies shown in Figs. 18, 19 and 20, in which Figs. 15an'd 16 are the top and bottom dies respectively. As will be seen the dies 15 and 16 are identical in sha The for 'ng shown in Figs. 15, 16 an 17 is placed between the dies and the latter pressed toward each other, so that the web parts 14 of the forging approach each other. Before the dies are finally closed together suitable manby the line 19, igs. 18 and 19, where the 180.

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web portions 14 meet or abut is then welded by any suitable welding process. To complete the return end ready for fitting to the lengths of superheater pipe, the two holes 18 are operated uponby a suitable drill or reamer so as to make them truly circular and adapted to nicely lit the ends of said lengths of pipe when the forging has been heated for shrinking purposes.

'lo unite the two lengths of pipe by the return end made as above described, said end is suitably heated and the ends of the pipes 20, Figs, 21, dial and 93, inserted in the holes 18 in the lorging and the latter shrunlr on to such pipe ends. The pipes also preferably welded to the return end in any convenient manner, for instance by depositing metal around them as shown at Ell, Figs. 21 and hit. lhe pipe ends may,

H I shore mentioned, be secured in or to the return end in any other suitable manner.

it will he understood that during the :E'orging operations the metal would be suitably reheated if and when required,

Variations might be made in the method rushing the return ends or connectors as shore set forth without departing from the main ieatures oi the invention l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Hatent is I. it method of manufacturing return ends for the elements or pipes of steam superheaters or the like, in which a solid piece or billet of metal is'formed into a hollow forging haying integral inwardly projecting solid webs or fins, the inner portions of which webs or fins are subsequently cut away to provide the passage way through the end, the forging being next operated upon to bring the remainin portions of said webs or fins together an produce portions or couplings for pipes, which c011-- sists in first forming two holes side by side in a suitable piece of metal, then separating the metal between the holes to form two up posed fins, then removing the inner end portions of the fins, and then pressing together and welding the outer end portions of the fins and pressing the orifices thus formed into suitable shape to receive the end portiom of the pipes. 3 it return end portion or coupling for pipes, comprising a piece of wrought metal having an internal chamber and two orifices communicating with the said chamber, said orifices being arranged side by side and adapted to receive the end portions of two pipes, the metal between the two orifices heing formed of the outer end portions of two opposed fins which have been formed separate from each other and then pressed together and Welded and the inner end porticns of which have been removed to complete the internal chamber and connect the said orifices.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT ABSALOM THOM.

Witnesses:

J. MOONEN, W. H. Smson.

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